Port Fairy businesses want variety in riverfront options

Port Fairy Tourist Association member Fiona Hampson said 130 people had signed a petition she had circulated which called for the port authority to rethink the concept plans for the wharf building.

PORT Fairy businesses have called for alternative designs to be sought for the redevelopment of the wharf building in King George Square.

Port Fairy Business Association vice-chairman Peter Bond said a meeting with the Port Fairy Tourist Association on Friday had decided to ask the Port of Port Fairy and Moyne Shire Council to open up the project to other designs.

Mr Bond said the two associations also hoped to be involved in the process to select a design for the building that would make it the Port Fairy landmark that the site warranted.

He said representatives of the two associations wanted to meet this week with the port authority and the architect who designed concept plans for the redevelopment that have been released for public comment.

They hoped they could meet beforeThursday’s public meeting that has been called by the port authority to receive public input on the concept plans.

The public meeting will be held from 7pm at the Port Fairy Community Services centre.

Mr Bond said the community was presented with a variety of options for the project to revamp Port Fairy’s main street and the two associations believed the community should be able to choose from a variety of design options for the new wharf building.

He said he personally believed the building should be two storeys to allow it to have views of Port Fairy bay and a wider perspective along the Moyne River.

Port Fairy Tourist Association member Fiona Hampson said 130 people had signed a petition she had circulated which called for the port authority to rethink the concept plans for the wharf building.

The number of signatories sent a clear message to the authority that there was a lot of public interest in what was to be built to replace the former fishing co-operative building at the wharf.

She said the port authority should get a variety of ideas from a number of architects about how to redevelop the site.